Washer-timing device



J. E. DANN.

WASHER TIMINGv DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILI-:D IAN.25, 1917. REIIEWED IAN. 28.1921.

l,397,726. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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WASHER TIIVIING DEViCE.

APPLICATmN F1151) 11111251.1917. RENEWED 11111. 2s. 1921.

1,397,7' 26. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

a www UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. DANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN LAUNDRYMACHINERY COMPANY, OF NORWOOD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

WASHER-TIMING DEVICE.

Application led January 25, 1917, Serial No. 144,426. Renewed January28, 1921. Serial No. 440,804.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES E. DANN, citizen of the United States,residing at Brookl n, in the county of Kings and State of New Fork, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Washer-Timing Devices,

of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to washing machines and more particularly totiming devices therefor. The object of the invention is to provideimproved mechanism, preferably operated by the washing machine, whichafter the lapse of a given period, determined by the operator, opens-the drain valve, 1ndlcates visually and by an alarm that the operationis nished, informs the operator of the nature of the next operation'tobe performed, and may also stop the machine.

Further objects .of the invention are in part obvious and in part willappear .more 1n detail hereinafter.

The invention compriss the apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, partly broken out vandin section, showing a portion of .n.washing machine with my inventionapplied-theretog Fig. 2.is a rear elevation, partly broken out, of thetiming mechanism; Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 4 is a crosssection, on a larger scale, on the line 4 4, Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a similarsection on the line 55, Fig. 1; Fig. 6

is a front elevation of a portion of the deof Washing machine, whetherof thedolly,`

drum or other type, but for convenience has been shown applied to a drummachine, whose outer tub or casing is indicated at 1. Said casing issuitably mounted and is providedl with a drain pipe or conduit 2 inwhich is a suitable, quick opening drain valve 3. The drum 4 within saidcasing is connected to a shaft 5 driven in any suitable manner, as bypower applied to the gear wheel 6 which may be rotated intermittently inopposite directions. Any member "of the driving mechanism, for examplethe gear 6, may be -provided with means, such as the roller 7, foractuating the timing device to be described, although said device may beoperated from some other power source than the machine itself, ifdesired.

Specification of Letters Patent.

T he timing device comprises a frame 10 having a bracket 11 fastened toa suitable support, such as the machine tub. In said l nections at 17 toa rod 18 whose lower end is guided in a support 19 and is provided witha foot 20. The rod 16 drops by gravity to its lowest position, shown inFig. 4, its downward movement being limited by a pin 16a which engages apart of the support. 11, but

each time the gear 6 makes a revolution, in either direction, the roller7 engages the foot 20 and lifts said rod, causing the pawl and ratchetdevices to turn thefscrew shaft one notch. lSaid shaft is held in itsnew position by a spring holding dog 21.

At one side of the screw shaft, and parallel therewith, is a rod'22which serves as a guide for a traveler 23 sliding on said rod and whosebody portion has a smooth recess to receive the screw shaft, whereby'said traveler is supported by both the shaft-and rod and can movelongitudinally thereof. Said body is also provided with two holes foi"rods 24 attached to anut segment 25 held by a Vspring 26 in coupledrelation with the screw threads. The outer ends of said rods areconnected by a thumb piece 27, below which is a finger hold 28 on thebody. By pressing in the thumb piece 'the traveler may be released fromthescrew. shaft and adjusted to any position thereon. and then againcoupled therewith. Said traveler also is provided with an indicator suchas the pointer 29,V traveling over a scale 30 on the frame graduated insuitable divisions to i ndicate either the number of revolutions of thedrum or elapsed time in minutes, prefereoI having a head 35 on its upperend and a latching collar 36 below the casing. Said collar has a squareupper shoulder 37 for,

latching engagement with the latch 38,v

formed by the bent end of rod 22 which passes through an opening .in theframe,

. frame.

vinclined at 39 to pass ythe latch'38 on the setting movement, duringwhich it pushes 'the latch back and stretches the locking spring 4G. Rod34 extends below the collar 36 and is provided with suitableconnections, such as the chain 41, to the drain valve 3. y

When the parts -are set in the operatlve condition, shown in Fig. 1, thehead 35 .1s withdrawn into the casing 32, the draln valve is closed, andthe latch 38 lies above the collar 36. Rotation of the screw shaft bythe machine moves the traveler to the left in Fig. 1, and as itapproaches the l1m1t of its travel it strikes a collar 42 attached torod 22 and moves said rod to the left, thereby disengaging the latch 38from collar 36, whereupon the rod 34 is forced up by the spring 33 to oen the drain valve and draln the machine. Iltod l34 may also beconnected by a cable 43 or other means to the switch or other device 44for controlling the machine so as to cut off the power and stop themachine, although this is not essential.

When rod 34 rises it projects the head 35 above the casing and indicatesvisually to the operator that the timing device has operated. Bypainting the head 35 one color, say red, and the casing 32 anothercolor, say black, the operator can tell at a glance which machine of anumber has been drained.

Suitable means is also provided for andibly indicating the conclusion ofthe operation. For this purpose the frame carries a bell or gong 45having a clapper 46 on a s ring metal lever 47 pivoted on the Saidclapper is normally held away from the gong by a light spring 48 butwhen the collar 36 rises it strikes one arm of the lever 47 and throwsthe clapper down against the gong sounding the alarm.

The device also advises the operator of the-nature of the next operationto which the goods are to be subjected. This is particularly desirablewhen a given batch of articles are to be subjected to several successivetreatments, for example, with a different kinds of solutions. Twodifferent arrangements for this purpose are shown in the drawings.

In Fig. 1 the frame is provided with an extension 49 having a sightopening 50 and provided with a hollow boss 51 forming a journal for ashaft 52 having a head 53 for turning the same and a back plate 54 towhose front face is fastened a card 55 having a Series of sets ofindicia disposed circumferentially around the center and so arranged asto be successively exposed through the sight opening. Each time thetraveler approaches the end of the stroke the arm 31- thereon engages atooth of a ratchet 56 on the back of plate 54 and turns said plate andthe indicating card to expose a newset mear/ae of indicia. Backwardrotation is prevented by the dog 57. When the operator is advlsed that amachine has drained he can tell from inspection of the indicator`what isthe character of solution to be employed and also the period of the nextoperation and sets the machine accordingly Dierent kinds of goodsfrequently require differing series of operations, for example, whiteshirts would be subjected to a' different set of operations from coloredgoods, flat work, etc. This is taken care of in the apparatus justdescribed by substituting a iii'erent indicia card, properly inscribed,for the one in the machine.

In the apparatus shown in Figs. 6 and 7 the indicater will take care ofseveral different series without change. As shown the frame is providedwith a cylindrical casing 58 having several hingeddoors 59 coverlngseparate si ht openings. Within the casing is a skeleton drum 60 whosecylindrical surface bears several sets of indicia the items of whichappear in turn before the several sight openings. Said drum has a shaft61 extending through the bottom of the casing and provided with aratchet wheel 62 and notched wheel 63 which coperate respectively withlthe operating pawl arm 31a on the traveler and the holding dog 57 a. Byopening the proper one of the doors 59 the machine is ready for anydesired sequence of operations.

What I claim is:

1. A washing machine having an'operating member, and means actuatedthereby for indicatin to the operator the conclusion of the washingoperation and the character of the next washing operation to beperformed.

2. A washing machine having an operating member, and means actuatedthereby for indicating to the operator at the conclusion of each washingoperation the character of the next operation to be performed.

3. A washing machine havin an operating member,and means actuate therebyfor indicating to the operator at the conclusion ofcachowashing'operationthe character of the next operation to beperformed, said meansbeing adjustable to indicate any one of severaldifferent sets of washing operations.

4. A washing machine having an operating member, a normally concealedsignal device visible at a distance from the machine when exposedthereon, and means actuated by said member for exposing said device toview at the conclusion of the washing operation.

5. A washing machine having an operating member, a normally concealedsignal device visible at a distance from the machine when exposedthereon, and means actuing operation and for simultaneously indicatingto the operator the character of the next Washing operation.

6. A washing machine attachment, comprisin an inclosing casing, a signaldevice norma ly concealedA therein and visible at a distance from themachine when exposed to view from the outside of said casing, andautomatically operated means for so exposing said signal device at theconclusion of the Washing operation.

7. A Washing machine provided witl1 an operating member and a drainvalve, spring means for opening said valve, means for preventingoperation of said spring means, and means actuated by said member andadapted at the conclusion of the washmg operation to release said springmeans for opening said valve and to indicate `to the operator theconclusion of the operation.

8. A Washing machine provided Wlth an operating member and drain valve,and a second member operatively connected with said valve, said secondmember being actuated by said first member and adapted at the conclusionof the Washing operation to open said valve and to indicate to theoperator the conclusion of the operation.

9. A Washing machine attachment., comprising a support, a movable memberthereon, means tending to move said member in one direction, means fornormally preventing said movement, means operated in timed relation withsaid washing machine for releasing said memberfor movement, a drainvalve operated by'said member, and a slgnal also actuatedby said member.

10. A Washing machine attachment, comprising a movably mounted member,means tending to move said member in one direction, means for preventingmovement of said member, means operated in timed relation with saidWashing vmachine for releasingy said member for movement, a dra-in valveoperated by said member, and a signal device also operated by saidmember to indicate the conclusion of the washing operation.

11. A Washing machine attachment, comprising a support, -a movablemember thereon, means tending to move said member in one direction, alatch for normally preventing such movement, latch actuating meansoperated in timed relation with the Washin machine, a drain valveoperated by said member, and a signal operated at the conclusion of theWashing operation.

12. A Washing machine provided With an operating member and a drainvalve, a normally concealed signal device visible at a distance from themachine when exposed thereon, and means actuated by said operatingmember and adapted at the conclusion of the washing operation to opensaid valve and expose said signal device to indicate to the opera-torthe conclusion of the Washing operation. n

13. A washing machine provided with an operating member-and a ,drainvalve, a normally concealed signal device visible at a distance from themachine when exposed thereon, means actuated bv said operating memberand adapted at the conclusion of the Washing operation to open saidvalve and expose said signal device to indicate to the operator theconclusion ofv the washing o eration, and means actuated simultaneous ywith said signal device for indicating to the operator the character ofthe next washing operation to be performed.

14. A Washing machine attachment, comprising a support, a movable memberthereon, means tending to move said member in one direction, a latch fornormally preventing such movement, latch actuating means operated intimed relation With the Washing machine, a drain valve operated by lsaidmember, and a normally concealed signal device operated by said memberand adapted when exposed to indicate the lconclusion of the Washingoperation.

15. A washing machine attachment, comprising a support, a movable memberthereon, means tending to move said member in one direction, a latch fornormally preventing such movement, latch actuatlng means operated intimed relation With the Washing machine, a drain valve operated by saidmember, and an audible signal also actuated by said member.

16. A washing machine attachment, comprising a support, a movable memberthereon, means tending to move said member in one direction, a latch fornormally preventing such movement, latch actuating means operated intimed relation with the washing machine, a 'drain valve operated by saidmember, a normally concealed signal deviceoperated by said member andadapted when exposed lto indicate the conclusion of the Washingoperation, and an audible signal also actuated by said member.

17. A Washing machine attachment, comprising a support, a movablememberthereon, means tending to move said member in one direction, a latch fornormally preventing such movement, latch actuatmgmeans operated in timedrelation With the yWashing machine, a drain valve operated by saidmember, and means actuated by said latch actuating means for indicatingto the operator the character of the next operation.

18. A Washing machine attachment, comvprising a suitable support, areciprocating traveler thereon, means operated in timed relation with,the Washing machine for moving said traveler in one direction, meansarranged as said traveler approaches the end of said movement toindicate the conclusion of the Washing operation, and means for re- 18020. A washing machine attachment, com prising a support, a movabletraveler thereon, a movable operating member, means tending to move saidmember in one direction whereby to open the drain valve of the washingmachine, a latch normally preventing such movement, said latch beingactuated by said traveler, and means having step by step movementactuated by said traveler for indicatingv at the conclusion of eachwashing operation the character of the next washing operation t'o beperformed.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature.

JAMES E. DANN.

